Wire-tying device



Sept. 1, 1925."

T. S. SWARTS WIRE TYING DEVICE Filed May 20. 1924 INVEN TOR.

THEBU. s sumgs ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES THEODORE s. SWARTS, or SAN rRA vcIsco, CALIFORNIA.

WIRE-TYING DEVICE.

Application filed May 20, 1924. Serial No. 714,735.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE S. SwAR'rs, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Wire- TyingDevices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in wire-tying devices forconcrete forms and has particular reference to means for tightening andtwisting the ends of a wire.

The principal object of this invention is to produce a device of thischaracter which is economical to operate and therefore a time saver.

Another object is to produce a device which is simple in constructionand therefore cheap to manufacture.

A still further object is to provide means whereby the gripping actionis automatic.

ther objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device,

Figure 2 is a cross section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the manner in which thewire is gripped,

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing the present method of twisting awire,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation showing my method of twisting awire, and

Figure 6 is a top plan view of Figure 5.

In the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration isshown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates abar having a cross handle 6 attached thereto. This bar has secured toits opposite end, as by a bolt 7, a stationary jaw 8 which stationaryjaw is bifurcated as shown at 9 and 11.

A movable L-shaped jaw 12 is pivoted in the bifurcation 9 as shown at 13and has a nose 14 adapted to enter the bifurcation 11. A link 16ispivoted at 17 to the L-shaped jaw 12 and has its opposite end pivotedat 18 to the end 19 of a key 21 slidable in a keyway 22 formed in thebar5. This key has an upturned end 23.

At 24 I have shown a sliding collar having an offset fulcrumed lever 26attached thereto, the purpose of which will be later described.Referring now to Figure 4 I have shown a concrete form consisting ofuprights A and B, form boards C and D and vertical re-enforcing bars E,to which are attached horizontal re-enforcing bars F by wires G. Theform tying wire is shown at H and it will be noted that the ends of thiswire are twisted as at I and that further twists are made at J and K,the twists made at J and K are made by hand by inserting a screw-driveror some similar instrument between the wires and twisting. Thisoperation is slow and it results in the operator tearing his hands uponthe wire G, it often taking as long as fifteen minutes to twist thisstyle of wire.

By referring to Figure 5, it will be noted that the tie-wire L istwisted only at the point M. By referring to Figure 6, I have shown thetop plan view where it will be noted that the completed operationpresents an appearance as shown in full lines in this drawing, that is,if the jaw is open so that the nose 14 may be dropped downwardlytherefrom. However, if the jaw is merely released and the nose pulleddirectly outwardly it will cause the ends of the wire to take theposition shown in dotted lines in this figure.

The manner of operating my device is as follows A wire is placed aboutthe form uprights as shown in Figure 4 and the ends crossed as shown inFigure 3. The device is then placed as shown in Figure 1, the collar 24moved toward the cross handle, which causes the jaws to close, grippingthe crossed ends of the wire. By now bearing down upon the device thefulcrum lever 26 will come into contact. with the upright A which willcause the collar 24 to press firmly against the lug 23, of the key 21,which action is transferred through the lug 19, link 16, to the L-shapedjaw 12, thus tightening the gripping action. As long as there isdownward movement, this gripping action will be suflicient to pull thewire up tight for twisting. By now giving the device a twisting actionthrough the medium of the cross handle 6 a twist similar to that shownin Figure 6 may be quickly made.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted towithout departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim,:-

1. In a device of the character described, a bar, a keyway formed insaid bar, a sliding key positioned in said keywa-y, a collar positionedon said bar, and surrounding said key, lugs formed on said key andcontacting the opposite ends of said collar, a fulcrum lever secured tosaid collar, a pair of jaws mounted on said bar, and means foroperatlugs formed on said key, said link being connected to one of saidlugs, a collar slidable on said bar and positioned between said lugs onsaid key, an offsetfulcrum lever connected to said collar, and havingits free end spaced substantially parallel to said bar for the purposespecified.

3. In a device of the character described, a bar, an immovable jawsecured to said bar and having a bifurcated end, a movable jaw having anose adapted toextend into the bifurcated end of said first mentionedjaw, a link secured to said jaw, a sliding key movably held in said bar,a collar surrounding said bar and engaging upturned ends of said key, afulcrum lever secured to said collar, one end of said fulcrum leverbeing 49 offset from said bar, the free end of said lever beingsubstantially parallel with said bar, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

' THEODORE S. SWARTS.

